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Empowering Youth
to Advance Human Rights
and Create a More Just World

Global Youth Connect is a 501 (c) 3 organization
founded in 1999 by international youth leaders
supported by key human rights advocates and scholars.

In a nut shell, GYC advances human rights and creates a more just world by empowering young activists from around the globe through a combination of cross cultural human rights learning workshops, volunteer service, and sustained human rights activism aligned with grassroots NGOs, policy makers, and other stakeholders.

Our Vision

We envision a world where all human rights of all people are equally respected, fully protected and universally realized.  Included in this vision is a world where all young people – regardless of nationality, ethnicity, religion, class, gender or other differences – are encouraged and empowered to non-violently claim their own rights and serve as advocates for the rights of others.

GYC operates under premise that human rights is a broad framework encompassing civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights, and that all human rights are universal, inalienable, and interdependent.

GYC realizes that not all people around the world, and specifically not all traditions and cultures, have the same definition of human rights. Therefore, we believe that “human rights learning” is one of, if not the, best tools that can guide people to act together to live in appreciative dignity with one another and in a healthy environment for all living beings.

Our Mission

Given that youth possess the idealism inherent in the establishment of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as the openness and flexibility required to see the power of an idealistic human rights framework as a progressive and practical tool -- even in the face of commonly confronted barriers, particularly cultural -- GYC is dedicated to empowering youth from around the world to work together cross-culturally not only with each other but also with civil society organizations and policy makers to advance the use of the human rights framework as a tool for social change and to ensure that all human rights are fulfilled for all people.

Our Methodologies

GYC’s programs provide youth (ages 14-35) from a wide range of ethnic, national, economic and religious backgrounds with opportunities to learn more about human rights and enhance their ability to take action on pressing human rights issues. 

Our programs weave together:  experiential training programs and workshops; skills development in grassroots organizing, conflict transformation, human rights activism and leadership; mentoring and technical support for on-going organizing efforts; on-the-ground experience in human rights organizations and doing human rights work; and connection to an international community of youth activists who are actively promoting and protecting human rights, as well as educating and inspiring the next generation to work for peaceful change. 

For example, in Rwanda we have established a league of organizations, each working on a different human rights issue. They have formed a Human Rights Learning and Action Community (HRLAC) named Turikumwe! (We Are Together!). The Turikumwe HRLAC hosts cross-cultural youth summits semi-annually that include workshops, site visits, volunteer service, documentation and advocacy meetings. This HRLAC, led by GYC and our local partner AJPRODHO, is advancing numerous human rights issues in Rwanda ranging from the human rights of children, LGBTI people, historically marginalized groups, and refugees, to the human right to healthcare. After each youth summit the various youth participants remain involved with the Turikumwe LAC through on-line media and alumni events, which feed back into the next youth summit and/or expand outwardly to educate other GYC Alumni from our other programs, or anyone else in the world!

Our Impact

GYC’s impact manifests itself not only in the future progressive lives and activities of our youth participants from around the world, but also in the human rights efforts of the grassroots organizations where our youth volunteer their time and skills, and in the actions of policy makers who get involved through our advocacy and sharing meetings.

Global Youth Connect  :  (845) 657-3273 : contact@globalyouthconnect.org